1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to instruments for suturing puncture wounds and more particularly to instruments for closing trocar puncture wounds formed during endoscopic surgical procedures.
2. Description of the Related Art
With laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery, a small incision or puncture is made in the patient's body to provide access for a tube or a cannula device. Once extended into the patient's body, the cannula allows for insertion of various surgical instruments such as scissors, dissectors, retractors, or biopsy instruments to perform diagnostics and/or surgery. Upon completion of the surgical procedure, the remaining trocar wound may require some attention, e.g., in the form of placing sutures to close the wound. In cases where sutures formed at the surface are not effective in properly closing the wound it may be desirable to close the wound from within.
Devices which form sutures from within the urethra are known. In one such device, the device is inserted into the urethra and pivotally deploys needles from which sutures are subsequently pulled through the side walls of the urethra. See, for example, Soviet Patent SU 1093329.
Accordingly, a need exists, for an improved instrument which provides better deployment of the needles, more efficient storing of the suture within the device for more reliable operation and increased capacity for storing sutures of varying lengths therein.